Women organizations in Timor-Lesteare urging the upcoming VII Government to create opportunities for women to be promoted to leadership roles to close the gender gap in politics and so they can create programs that more adequately respond to the needs to vulnerable groups including women and children.

Women organizations in Timor-Lesteare urging the upcoming VII Government to create opportunities for women to be promoted to leadership roles to close the gender gap in politics and so they can create programs that more adequately respond to the needs to vulnerable groups including women and children.

Woman activist, Julieta da Silva said women involvement in decision-making roles as Members of Government is still not representative because they are not given the opportunity."I hope the new government will provide better opportunities for women to rise to decision-making roles such as Ministers, Vice Ministers and Secretaries of State," she said in Comoro, Dili.She hoped that the number of women representatives will increase in the new legislature to ensure the sensible approval of laws that benefit women and regarding the protection of women.She added that during the VI Government mandate, mine women assumed roles of leadership as Minister, Vide Minister and Secretary of State but that during the reshuffling of the VI Government, the number was reduced to eight as Minister of Finance, Minister of Social Solidarity, two Vice Ministers of Education and Health and two Secretaries of State for Women’s Empowerment and for Arts and Culture. Da Silva said also that due to the efforts of women groups there are not also 21 female Chiefs of Suku (village) out of 442 Suku and 85 female chiefs of sub-village, but so far there are no women at the administrative and municipal level."I know there are many capable women who have the capacity but they lack opportunity and space to get involved,” she said.She added as demonstrated by the women who lead sukus, the issue is not a matter of capacity.She urged the new the government to give priority for women to lead across the four main sectors of Health, Agriculture, Education, and Promotion of Equality.Meanwhile voter Paulo Corte Real calls on the new government to prioritize the needs of vulnerable groups including women, children, and disabled people as the subject of politics and program over the next five years."We hope there will be a policy across all sectors that ensures the promotion of women so that they can also enjoy the country's development," she said.For student Margarida Baptista, the incoming new government andthe Minister of Education must develop integrated and favorable policies for improve schools' infrastructure so female students can get an education in safety and enjoy learning. "We urge [government] to fix the condition of our schools, especially with basic sanitation so we can focus on our studies because it is difficult when we feel sick," she said.She hopes the incoming government will create all conditions to provide quality education for everyone forfemale students.